Maternity and nursing brassiere



Jan; 26, 1954 L. C. SPANGARD MATERNITY AND NURSING BRASSIERE Filed Oct. 14, 1952 LIZ 10.1.

By Lee Banfsfer, fzecufp'r Patented Jan. 26, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MATERNITY AND NURSING BRASSIERE Application October 14, 1952, SerialNo. 314,618

2 Claims.

This invention has for one of its objects the provision of a brassier for use during maternity in that it is especially constructed and arranged so that it may be adjusted with ease and in a particular manner best to expose either breast for nursing and will properly and comfortably support the breasts while adjusted for nursing as well as when worn in the normal manner; this application being a division of application filed April 27, 1949, Serial Number 89,865.

Additionally this invention includes among its features of improvement the following:

1. A split or slittecl breast cup construction facilitating the us of quick action slide fasteners making it possible to open and close the cups with greater ease and comfort.

2. Attachment of the shoulder straps to portions of the split cups in such manner that the cups will eifectively support the breasts while open for nursing as well as when closed.

With the foregoing objects in View, together with such other objects and advantages as may subsequently appear, the invention resides in the parts and in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed, and illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a brassiere constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of one of the cups of the brassiere, and;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation similar to Fig. 2 showing the cup open for nursing purposes.

As shown in the drawings the brassiere embodie a front panel 23 of suitable fabric, side bands 25 attached to the ends of the panels 23 and arranged to embrace the sides and back of the wearer, suitable fastening means 13 for detachably joining the ends of the bands 24 at the back of the wearer, breast cups 21 mounted on said panel, and shoulder straps 25 attached to the cups and bands. The cups 2'! ar formed with outer margins which are connected to said bands and also have lower edge portions leading from said outer margins which are attached to the panel 23. Each of the cups embodies an inner flap portion having a. curved lower edge and a curved inner edge formed in continuation of said lower edge; said flaps being arranged to open along the lower and inner curved edges thereof to expose the breasts of the wearer while nursing.

The panel 23 has an intermediate portion which extends upwardly between the cups and has an upper margin curved to conform to the lower and inner edges of th cup flap portions.

Slide fastening elements 28 are provided on the curved lower and inner edges of the cups and along the curved upper margin of the panel 23 to facilitate opening and closing of the cups. Fig. 3 shows how the flap portions of th cups may be folded upward and outward to expose the breasts for nursing. As a practical support for the breasts when the cups are opened an arcuate cup portion 29 is provided beneath the flap portion of each cup being stitched to the contiguous curved upper marginal portions of the panel 23 and having an upwardly and outwardly curved end portion extending from the upper end of the intermediate portion of the panel connected to the top portion of the cup where the strap 25 is joined to the top of the cup. The cup portions 29 embrace the base and inner side portions of the breasts while exposing the nipple area and make up for the lack of support occasioned when the cups 2'! are opened for nursing. As they are attached at their upper edges to shoulder straps 25 or points where the straps are stitched to the top of the cups the straps exert an upward pull on the cup portions 29 thus assuring adequate support of the breast.

Elastic gussets ll are provided at the juncture of the panel 23 and the bands 24 to afford a snug fit and to provide an expandable connection between the panel 23 and bands 24.

It will now be seen that the improved brassiere constitutes an improvement in this art by reason of the advantages heretofore noted and which are the result of the particular formation and arrangement of the breast cups and associated parts.

The specific embodiment of the invention having been shown and described, it is intended that the exact details be interpreted as illustrative, and not in a, limiting sense, and the invention embraces such changes, modifications and equivalents of the parts and their formation and arrangement as come within the purview of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a nursing brassire embodying a pair of breast cups each having an upper portion, an outer side margin, and a lower margin leading from said side margin; each of said cups being formed with an inner flap portion having a curved lower edge and an inner edge curved upwardly in continuation of said lower edge, a front panel having ends and formed with an upper margin conforming to said lower margin of said cups and attached thereto, said panel also having an intermediate portion extending 3 upwardly between said cups formed with curved margins conforming to the lower and inner edges of said flap portions, said flap portions being movable outwardly to open the cups and expose the breasts of the wearer for nursing, slide fastening elements secured to the upper margin of the panel and to the lower and inner edges of the flaps for detachably holding the flaps in a position closing the cups; arcuate cup members attached to the upper margin of the panel having curved end portions extending upwardly and. outwardly from the intermediate portion of said panel and lying beneath said flaps and having upper ends joined to the upper portions of the cups, said arcuate cup members underlying said flaps so as to afford a partial support for the breasts while the cups are open, bands joined to the ends of the panel for fastening the brassire around the body of the wearer, and shoulder straps connecting said bands to the upper portions of said cups at the juncture therewith of 20 Number 4 the upper ends of the arcuate cup members therewith.

2. The structure called for in claim 1 including elastic gussets interposed in the junctures of the bands and panel and in which the cups have outer margins connected to said bands above said gussets.

LEE BANISTER. Executor of the estate of Laurence C. Spangard,

deceased.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Glasser Apr. 6, 1943 Blocker Sept. 10, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date France May 20, 1946 Number 

